Kait Gamble's Blog, page 17

Once Upon a Time as a Lesson in Writing

*Spoiler Warning*

I have to admit it took some prodding for me to start watching Once Upon a Time. It was the urging of a friend that finally got me to sit down and watch it. Thankfully, she knows me really well and knows stories that play with traditional fairy tales = love (to me). There’s just something about subverting what we think we know about these characters that tickles me. And Once Upon a Time does that.

Or at least it did.

In the second season the writing hasn’t been as tight and it has left me more than a little disappointed, especially on two points.

You learn as a writer that it’s important to maintain a manageable cast of characters. If you don’t some get left behind leaving viewers/readers wondering what the hell happened to them or worse confused about who’s who.

In the first season there was a central cast that the show focused on: The Charmings (Snow, Charming, Emma, Henry) and their interactions with a select few residents of Storybrooke, Rumpelstiltskin and the Evil Queen, Regina. They all received intriguing backstories and motivations and their stories were all interwoven in a plausible way. I kept coming back to find out how one character was related to another and to see how the writers had evolved them to make the stories work. It was wonderful.

In the latest series new characters are thrown in what seems to be a random, need-them-right-now-for-the-plot kind of way. Some come without histories and others, even more frustratingly, with but because they disappear into the ether their stories have no resolution. What happened to characters that we’ve come to know if the first season? Jefferson? Archie? August? Kathryn? Ashley? Marco? Victor? What about the newer ones like Aurora, Mulan and Anton the giant? Don’t tell me we watched an entire episode about his life before Storybrooke only to never see him again.

Another thing that’s been dragging for me is the adage ‘good will always triumph’ being touted at every turn. Why create characters that are so different from the ones we’re used to and then stick to that? We all know that the original stories are much darker than they are now. Why not explore that a little? Change it up! Keep us guessing! If we know who will win every story arc why are we going to bother?

One thing they have gotten right, to a fashion, is their willingness to kill off characters. Even main characters like Graham and Cora. But why stop there? It’s as good a way as any to close off loose endings, add tension and motivation to the remaining characters not to mention keep viewers on their toes.

I hope that the rest of this series brings it all together to become that fun and interesting viewing experience again. But at least I can learn what works and doesn’t in storytelling by watching it.

Alpha Male Doesn’t Mean Alpha Asshat

I’ve been stewing over this since I stayed up until 3am last night hate reading a book in the hopes that the hero would redeem himself.

Red flags started to fly the moment I started reading the book. It opened with the hero seeing a picture of his ex-mistress and he proceeds to expound on how she not only cheated on him, but stole from him as well. But damn if the sight of her didn’t make his libido skyrocket. So he begins to devise a plot that gives her two choices: get back in his bed or lose everything.

Leery, I kept going. I knew it was going to be all about misunderstandings and anticipated a hella good grovelling scene after he realized his mistake. But when that moment came he blamed the heroine for being framed in the first place when he was the one who fell for another character’s manipulations and jumped to all sorts of conclusions. By this point the story was beyond redemption for me because everything that went down could have been sorted out with a conversation or two but because of the hero’s attitude it was impossible. The heroine, of course, takes it in stride even though his arrogance left her near destitute with twin demon toddlers (whose temperament she delightedly describes as being ‘just like their father’). In the end he takes responsibility of the kids and openly admits he loves the heroine. She happily accepts even though she has a few doubts and they live happily ever after. While I was left cold.

What the hell? A story that had tropes that I responded well to in the past left me angry and totally unfulfilled.

But why?

At first I thought maybe I was being a bit tetchy but after a visit to Goodreads to see what others were saying about the book I found I wasn’t alone.

There are things that are to be expected when there’s an alpha male hero in a story. The heroine will be drawn to him, just like every female in the vicinity. He’s commanding, wealthy, handsome. He’s self-assured and with that comes an air of entitlement and  even a little arrogance. He knows what he wants and he takes it. He is the guy every guy wants to be and the guy every girl wants to be beneath. And in the end it’s the love of the heroine that tempers him.

It’s a fantasy that I’ve enjoyed many times. Who wouldn’t want to daydream about someone with the money to grant nearly every one of your wishes and who will take charge so you don’t have to?

But some heroes take it to another level. Where protective becomes controlling. Dominant becomes domineering. And all of a sudden this character becomes completely infuriating.

So where’s the line between Alpha and Asshat?

Pulp-O-Mizer Fun

It’s always fun to try something new and creative to get the juices flowing. I can’t remember how I came across this but I had way too much fun with this thing not to share.

I feel like Imissed my calling (and maybe era)

Did I inspire you? Make one of your own at Thrilling Tales of the Downright Unusual

The Time Research Saved Me From Being Conned

Photo credit R. Ramos edited with permission by me.

So I’m looking for a new place to live and have been looking around online to see what’s out there. As I expected there are a bunch of places I would never consider. There are the places that I would love to live. And then there are the places that I can only dream about until I become a bestselling author. Then there are the places that seem perfect.

A little too perfect.

One apartment that came up during my search was exactly what I was looking for. To the point that my eyes very nearly turned into stars as I danced around the room. I immediately fired off an email to find out more about it as I daydreamed what it would be like to live there. The people I’d meet, what it would be like to come home somewhere so amazing. I practically planned out the next few years of my life in that moment.

Then I got a response.

While it wasn’t too out there, there was something off about the email. I couldn’t really put my finger on it. The man seemed friendly enough and gave me the right amount of information but it gave me a weird feeling.

I need to backtrack a bit here and mention that I’m a big fan of films/shows/books about con artists. So while I was writing Liar’s Game and planning the sequels I dove into the research with relish. I learned a huge amount about that world and the different techniques con artists use to gain peoples’ confidence. I like to think that if all else fails, I’ve gained the skills for a new career (HA!).

But I digress.

I did a little more research about the building and the area and asked some very specific questions about it and requested to arrange a viewing. Then I just sat back and waited. The next email confirmed my suspicions. He answered none of my questions but gave me a contact phone number and a payment site since he was conveniently out of the country and couldn’t meet. That’s when it hit me. He was trying to get me with a Spanish Prisoner variant. Further Googling revealed that this particular con had been going on since late 2011. I even found the exact emails I’d been sent using different apartments all over the world from dozens of pseudonyms.

So long story short, he didn’t get his money, I didn’t get scammed and I might have gotten an idea for a con in a later story.

Moral of the story: if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Oh, and remembering research can come in handy in the long run.

A Couple of Pics

Anyone who knows me knows that I snap pictures constantly. People don’t always get why walking down the street is suddenly interesting enough for me to fish out my phone or why a trip to the park would inspire me to bring along my DSLR, it’s just what I do.

The best way I can explain it is, it’s like when I suddenly get an idea for a story. You don’t know when it will hit you, or what it will be but it’s best to be prepared. And even the smallest thing can spark something in me. Which is why my purse is massive and I always have a notepad, pen, pencil and some sort of camera with me among many other things.

I’m going to try and share more photos here since I’ve fallen out of love with Instagram and as a result left my Tumblr bereft of new images.

So here are a couple to start. I took with my phone the other day. Both are from the same day from the same spot just a few hours apart just with me aimed at a different point on the horizon.

 

Sunrise

Sunset

And We Say Goodbye to Another Year

For me 2012 was a year that had a few breath-taking highs and a lot of devastating lows, even then I’m still a bit sad to see it end.

There were so many amazing things that happened this year. Among numerous examples, we watched as a rover landed on Mars and a man jump from the edge of space. A computer composed music completely independent of human input and we survived yet another prediction of planetary doom.

Next year (and in the years to come) I hope that we keep on pushing boundaries and making more monumental firsts.

I know I will be

So good luck to you and here’s to a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!

PS. Here’s the Iamus computer’s composition if you’re curious. Check out the YouTube page for links to more.

Check it out!

JL Hilton and I chat about Liar’s Game today on Contact- Infinite Futures.

Go and check it out!

Guest Post – 12 Cool Pieces of Technology from JL Hilton’s Stellarnet Series

Welcome to the fabulous JL Hilton! I’m happy to be part of her blog tour for the second book in her amazing Stellarnet series, Stellarnet Prince. Check out her info below for more information on the rest of the tour.

I love the tech that she describes in the story, no surprise there. What makes it great is that it’s a (very realistic) leap from what we’ve got now. Here JL will give you a little insight to the world she’s created and give you the chance to win ebooks of Stellarnet Rebel, Stellarnet Prince and a r’naw eye necklace.

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I love the Internet. I think it’s the most incredible invention since the printing press, sliced bread, vaccinations, beer or chocolate. It’s changed life on our planet and the course of human history in about a billion ways. So when I sat down to write the Stellarnet Series (http://www.stellarnetseries.com/), of course I included a futuristic version of the Internet. I think contemporary science fiction should have more than just lasers and robots, it should extrapolate from the technology that is such a huge part of our lives now — things like social media, video games and MMORPGs, virtual reality, tablets and smartphones.

Here’s a list of some of the tech that appears in the books Stellarnet Rebel and Stellarnet Prince. Some of it is already on its way to a reality near you.

1) The Stellarnet. A catch-all phrase for the interconnected networks that include the Terranet for the Earth/Moon, Rednet on Mars and the Asternet on Asteria, site of the first extrasolar space settlement Asteria Colony. It functions like our current Internet, but with more regulation. For example, any information about how to build bombs was banned in 2025.

2) Net bracers are thin, flexible, water-resistant devices you wear on your forearm. They have all of the same features as a smartphone or tablet – apps, texting, cameras, maps, etc – but no device to carry, drop or lose. Just touch your arm to activate the icons, and when it’s not in use you can set it to the default “tattoo” app to decorate your skin.

3) Table top keyboards. Dining room tables, kitchen counters, walls, are all interactive and connected to the Net. Lay your hands on the table and a full keyboard appears under your fingertips. No need to be tethered to one location, especially with …

4) Lumina walls. Every flat surface is a potential display. No more computer monitors, TV sets or screens. Open a window right on the bedroom wall or the coffee table to check your messages, watch a movie or add an event to your calendar. Here’s a fun video to demonstrate (btw, I saw this video after I wrote Stellarnet Rebel): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Cf7IL_eZ38

5) Reusable plastic crates replace cardboard boxes. They may be programmed to display a recipient’s address if used for shipping, or the contents if used for storage. Food labels in the Stellarnet Series have similar interactivity, and those are already here IRL:http://www.drinkoftheweek.com/2010/10/medea-vodka-with-programmable-led-labels/ 

6) Genmods are expensive genetic modifications that may be cosmic or medical. The human heroine of the Stellarnet Series, Genevieve O’Riordan, has genmods to make her stronger, protect her teeth, change her hair color, eliminate motion sickness, keep her thin and have large breasts. The last two are standard in every female prenatal genmod package.

7) Sim projections look like real people, but they aren’t. They might be controlled by real people, like an avatar in an online game, or run on artificial intelligence. Some are programmed to look and act just like a living or deceased person, using an array of personality parameter settings and a database of everything they’ve ever said on the Net. 

8) Net goggles overlay the world with text, icons, ads and all of the things you’d find on the Internet. I had these written into Stellarnet Prince before Google announced its glasses( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4 ). I’m excited that we won’t have to wait fifty years for this technology!

9) Multi-gun looks something like a small Gatling gun and shoots lasers, bullets and grenades. The weapon of choice for Earth’s military troops in 2062. 

10) Digital Christmas decorations. Bringing a real tree into the house is a thing of the past. Instead, people “spruce” up their walls with pics of their favorite pines, and friends and family send each other personalized digital decorations. Touch the ornament in the “box” on the wall, then drag it to the tree. No more tinsel for the pets to eat. 

11) Programmable, antibiotic clothing. Shirt doesn’t match your pants? Just reprogram the color code. Don’t like doing laundry? No problem. Wear your undies for a month, then toss them in the recycling bin. 

12) Smart Skin bandage. More than just a bandage to cover a wound, it displays vital information about the patient’s heart rate, blood sugar, white blood cell count, iron count, and more.

What is your favorite piece of real-life modern technology? What would you like to see invented and marketed within your lifetime?

 

J.L. Hilton is the author of the Stellarnet Series published by Carina Press, including Stellarnet Rebel (January 2012) and Stellarnet Prince (November 2012), & a regular contributor to the Contact-Infinite Futures SF/SFR blog. Her artwork is featured in the books Steampunk Style Jewelry and 1000 Steampunk Creations. Visit her at JLHilton.com or follow her on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and deviantART.



For more information about the Stellarnet Series and other stops on the blog tour to celebrate the release of Stellarnet Prince this month, see JLHilton.com.

 

 

 

The Giveaways!

Win ebook copies of Stellarnet Rebel and Stellarnet Prince!  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Win a r’naw eye necklace! a Rafflecopter giveaway

NaNoWriMo: Yay or Nay?

And we’ve hit that time of year where writers from all over the globe are trying to decide whether or not to gather to write fifty thousand words in a month.

It’s great for authors, who are usually insular, hermit-like creatures (or is that just me?), to get together online or if you’re lucky enough to be in the right part of the world, in a café/bar/library somewhere and be somewhat social. I.e. Talk about your latest story and then put your head down and write.

And while it doesn’t guarantee a publishable work at the end of it, it gives a writer a sense of urgency (and legitimacy) to your work and that little oomph that some of us need. It teaches you how to write without self-editing, to just get those words out and on the page. There’s just something about those charts and visual reminders of how much you have written each day that just validates all the work you’ve done. That little badge and certificate you get when you finish are the icing on the cake.

It gives you the chance to explore and the permission to write utter crap but at least you’re writing. One of my own books started as a NaNoWriMo and as a challenge to myself to write from a POV and tense I’ve never tried. I ended up nearly doubling the required word count (after the end, of course) and it’s currently one of my faves of my own work.

So I say go for it! Write those fifty thousand words. Who knows what will come out of it?

Good luck and speedy writing!

Stuff I’m Into Right Now

Like the title says here are a few things that have dragged me away from writing lately.

Written by a Kid

I love how kids create stories. The fact that absolutely NOTHING is impossible to them makes the tales that come from them incredibly entertaining. The folks at Geek and Sundry have tapped into that and have created a series where children make up a story and they make vignettes to illustrate them. So fun!

Borderlands 2

I’ve just started the game but have been sucked in by the art and the humour. And even though I’m not all that into first person shooter games I LOVE IT. If I didn’t have anything else to do I’d be living on my game PC.

 

 

Libriomancer by Jim C Hines

Another something I just started. Literally. I’ve been wanting to read this ever since I found out about it. How can you not want to know more about a guy who has the magical ability to reach into books and pull out the objects in it? I read the first sentences and knew that this will be something I’m going to love. How can you not love this?

Some people would say it’s a bad idea to bring a fire-spider into a public library. Those people would probably be right, but it was better than leaving him alone in the house for nine hours straight.

We’ll see if I feel the same after I’ve read a bit further.